The A-ration (officially Field Ration, Type A) is a
United States military ration
United States military ration refers to the military rations provided to sustain United States Armed Forces service members, including field rations and garrison rations, and the military nutrition research conducted in relation to military f ...
consisting of fresh,
refrigerated, or
frozen foods. A-rations may be served in dining facilities, prepared in the field using
field kitchens, or prepared at a fixed facility and transported to field locations in containers. Its modern successor is the
Unitized Group Ration – A (UGR-A), which combines multiple types of rations, including the A-ration, under one unified system.
The A-ration differs from other U.S. alphabetized rations such as the
B-ration, consisting of canned or preserved food;
C-ration, consisting of prepared wet food when A- and B-rations are not available;
D-ration, consisting of military
chocolate
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans that can be a liquid, solid, or paste, either by itself or to flavoring, flavor other foods.
Cocoa beans are the processed seeds of the cacao tree (''Theobroma cacao''); unprocesse ...
;
K-ration, consisting of three balanced meals; and
emergency rations, intended for emergencies when other food or rations are unavailable.
Unitized Group Ration A
A-rations today may include the Unitized Group Ration – A, a hybrid meal kit designed to feed a group of 50 people for one meal. The UGR-A has several different varieties, including a tray-based heat and serve (T-rat) form, heated by
hot water immersion when a field kitchen is not available, or the express form, with a self-heating module and disposable accessories. The UGR-A is used to sustain military personnel during worldwide operations that allow organized food service facilities.
The UGR-A includes perishable/frozen type entrees (A-rations) along with commercial-type components and perishable/frozen type entrees to provide the luxury of an A-ration meal in the field, configured into individual meal modules for ease of ordering, distribution, and preparation. The UGR-A has at least 9 months shelf life (at for semi-perishable modules and at for perishable modules).
[Defense Logistics Agency]
''Operational Rations: UGR-A''
Notes
External links
on Military Nutrition Research''– This website documents more than a century of scientific inquiry conducted by, for, and about the U.S. military to promote and sustain the nutritional health of military personnel and citizens alike.
{{DEFAULTSORT:A-Ration
Military food of the United States